A bill currently pending before the Massachusetts Senate represents what we hope will be a new tool to help revitalize what are known as the state’s “Gateway cities.” If passed, the bill would create the Transformative Development Fund to aid manufacturing cities that need an economic boost.

First, a little background. Gateway cities were so named by MassINC, a nonpartisan think tank, and defined as established urban centers with ready building, transportation and institutional infrastructure that had traditionally offered a gateway to the American Dream through well-paying manufacturing jobs. Think Quincy, Brockton and New Bedford. No more.

With the disappearance of those jobs, Gateway cities have had a challenging time sustaining local economies. This is an attempt to creatively fund revitalization projects to aid in that.

The bill, which passed the House last week and is now before the Senate, would create a $17 million account to which both public and private entities could apply to fund projects that would significantly transform a downtown. That fund would be overseen by Mass Development, which the Legislature created in 1998 by merging the Massachusetts Government Land Bank and the Massachusetts Industrial Finance Agency. This little-known agency describes itself as “... a lender and developer, (which) works with private- and public-sector clients to stimulate economic growth by eliminating blight, preparing key sites for development, creating jobs, and increasing the state’s housing supply.”

According to Winthrop Roosevelt, government affairs coordinator for MassINC, the bill was written so as to give communities applying for funds flexibility to tailor a project to a city’s needs. He said it allows for transparency and requires each proposal to demonstrate an economic return to the community.

“It’s a nimble fund to cater to the needs of modern development,” said Roosevelt.

The Senate is now considering an amendment to the bill that would change it from a one-year, $17 million appropriation to a three-year, $50 million appropriation, which would allow developers to budget on a schedule and provide stability to the project.

In theory, it’s a sound idea. But as we’ve seen with so many entities that seek public tax dollars to fund private business development – or public services, for that matter – it’s all about the execution.

We would welcome such an investment in our Gateway cities – which have all the potential in the world in terms of architectural, intellectual and personal infrastructure – but only if the bill truly does legislate full transparency and an approval process that commits to the cities and not someone’s pal.

As we’ve seen most recently with the Probation Department trial and the disbursement of medical marijuana dispensary licenses, patronage thrives in Massachusetts. Our cities and the good people who make their home in them deserve better. Quincy, Brockton and New Bedford deserve to resume their place as gateways to what has been an elusive American Dream. We hope this bill would help accomplish that.